Window assembly for vehicle

ABSTRACT

A window assembly for a vehicle includes a fixed frame having a pair of opposite side frame members, an upper frame member and a lower frame member. A fixed window panel is disposed at a lower portion of the side frame members and at the lower frame member. A movable window panel is movable relative to the fixed window panel and the frame between an opened position and a closed position. Each of the side frame members includes a lower channel for receiving a side perimeter edge region of the fixed window panel and an end region of the lower frame member. An elastomeric seal is overmolded along the lower channel of the side frame member and is configured to receive and seal against (i) the side perimeter edge region of the fixed window panel and (ii) the end region of the lower frame member.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims the filing benefits of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/215,942, filed Sep. 9, 2015, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to windows for vehicles and, more particularly, to window assemblies including window panels and frames for transit vehicles, such as school buses or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Vehicle window assemblies, such as for school buses and the like, typically include a frame that includes four aluminum side frame portions that are screwed or fastened together at the corners of the frame. The window panels, typically one fixed window panel and one movable window panel, are retained within channels along the frame portions while the frame portions are fastened together to form the window assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a window assembly or window module or window unit for a vehicle, such as a transit vehicle or school bus, that includes a polymeric or plastic frame and a fixed window panel partially encapsulated or surrounded by the frame and a movable window assembly or unit that includes a movable window panel encompassed or surrounded by a movable frame or carrier and that is movable relative to the frame and the fixed window panel between opened and closed positions. The plastic frame (which may be formed via injection molding) includes an elastomeric seal that is overmolded (such as via a second injection molding process) over portions of the frame to provide a seal against the fixed window panel when the window assembly is assembled. The frame (such as a polycarbonate or acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) material or the like) and seal (such as a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) or the like) may be formed via a two shot molding process, with the first shot molding the frame or at least the side frame members or portions and the second shot molding the elastomeric seal at the selected portions of the frame or frame members.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a school bus incorporating a plurality of window assemblies in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a window assembly having a movable window that is movable along the side channels of the window assembly in accordance with the present invention, shown with the movable window in its closed position;

FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the window assembly of FIG. 2, shown with the movable window in its opened position;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the perimeter frame of the window assembly of the present invention, shown without the fixed or movable window panels;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective views of a vertical frame member of the frame of the window assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the vertical frame member of FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 7A is sectional view of the vertical frame member taken along the line A-A in FIG. 7;

FIG. 7B is sectional view of the vertical frame member taken along the line B-B in FIG. 7;

FIG. 7C is sectional view of the vertical frame member taken along the line C-C in FIG. 7;

FIG. 8 is another plan view of the vertical frame member of FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 9 is another plan view of the vertical frame member of FIGS. 5 and 6; and

FIG. 9A is a sectional view of the vertical frame member taken along the line A-A in FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a window assembly or window module or window unit 10 may be mounted at an opening of a transit vehicle, such as a school bus 11 or the like (FIG. 1). Window assembly 10 comprises a modular window assembly that includes a fixed window pane or panel 12 fixedly attached to a perimeter frame 16, and a movable or slidable window unit or assembly 14 that includes and supports a movable window pane or panel 15 and that slides or moves along perimeter frame 16, and that moves generally vertically relative to the fixed window panel 12 to open and close the window assembly. As shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of window assemblies or modules 10 are installed along the side of the school bus. The window assemblies may be closely spaced next to one another and may provide a substantially continuous, flush row of window panels along the sides of the school bus. The fixed window panel and movable window panel may comprise any suitable material, such as glass or polycarbonate panels or substrates or the like, without affecting the scope of the present invention. The window assembly includes a perimeter fixed frame with the fixed window panel disposed at a portion of the frame (such as a lower portion of the frame) and with the movable window panel movable along the perimeter fixed frame, as discussed below. The movable window unit 14 is movable along the perimeter frame and relative to the fixed window panel between a closed position (FIG. 2) and an opened position (FIG. 3).

As shown in FIGS. 2-4, perimeter frame 16 of window assembly 10 includes a pair of generally vertical channel members or side frame members or split sash side rails 18 and a generally horizontal upper channel or frame member 20 and a generally horizontal lower channel or frame member 22. The frame members may be formed of any suitable material, and may be molded (such as via injection molding or the like) or extruded to the desired form (if each member is extruded, the ends of adjacent members may be joined together, such as via ultrasonic welding or bonding or the like). For example, the perimeter frame or fixed frame may comprise a substantially rigid material, such as a substantially rigid polymeric or plastic material, such as glass filled nylon, PVC, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene, nylon, acrylonitrile-butadeine-styrene (ABS) or thermoplastic urethane (TPU) or the like. Optionally, the perimeter frame may also or otherwise comprise, for example, a metallic material or a composite material, such as a filled polymeric material, or the perimeter frame may comprise a metal member that is encapsulated in plastic or polymeric material or the like.

The side frame members 18 include an outer sliding channel 24, along which the movable window panel moves as it is moved between its opened and closed positions, and a lower channel or portion 26 where the fixed window panel 12 is attached or received, and an upper channel or portion 28 where an upper frame member 30 of the movable window panel is slidably received. The movable window panel is slidably received in the outer sliding channel 24 such that the movable window panel, when opened, is disposed outboard of the fixed window panel. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer sliding channel 24 is configured to maintain the movable window panel in a generally vertical plane when in both its opened and closed states. Optionally, the movable window panel may move along a channel that guides the movable window so that the movable window panel is generally flush with the fixed window panel when the movable window panel is closed, such as by utilizing aspects of the window assemblies described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,776,435, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The side frame member 18 includes an elastomeric seal 32 disposed at or established at the lower portion or channel 26 where the fixed window panel 12 is attached or received. The seal 32 comprises a flexible or elastomeric sealing material that seals against the fixed window panel to provide a substantially water-tight seal between the fixed window panel and the side frame members 18 when the fixed window panel is received in and secured at the channels of the side frame members 18 during assembly of the window assembly.

The elastomeric seal 32 is overmolded (such as via injection molding or the like) over portions of the side frame member 18 and within the lower channel 26 of the side frame member to provide a seal against the fixed window panel 12 when the window assembly is assembled. The side frame members may comprise a polycarbonate or acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) material or the like, and the seal may comprise a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) or the like that is formed at or in the channel of the side frame member, such as via an overmolding process that molds the seal at and over the molded or formed side frame member. Optionally, the side frame member and seal construction may be formed via a two shot molding process, with the first shot molding the side frame member and the second shot molding the elastomeric seal at the selected portion of the side frame member.

In the illustrated embodiment, the perimeter frame 16 fixedly supports fixed window panel 12 at a lower region or portion or half of the window assembly 10. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an upper perimeter frame element or center frame element or member 34 is disposed along an upper edge region of the fixed window panel 12, and the lower frame member 22 is disposed along the lower edge region of the fixed window panel. Each of the side frame members 18 includes a respective channel 26, which is formed with a substantially constant width along its length.

As can be seen with reference to FIGS. 7A-C and 9A, the seal 32 is formed or overmolded along the channel 26 and through apertures and/or slots (see FIGS. 7A, 7C and 9A) formed through the side frame member 18 to enhance retention of the seal at the side frame member. The seal 32 is formed within and along the channel 26 so as to have a wider channel or receiving portion at an upper end region 32 a for receiving the end of the upper fixed frame element 34 therein and a narrower channel or receiving portion 32 b along the channel. Similar to the upper end region 32 a, the seal 32 is formed so as to have a wider channel or receiving portion at a lower end region 32 c for receiving the end of the lower frame member 22 therein. Thus, a side edge region of fixed window panel 12 is received along narrower channel portion 32 b of seal 32 and the end of the upper frame element 34 is received in wider channel portion 32 a and the end of the lower frame member 22 is received in lower wider channel portion 32 c.

The overmolded seal of the present invention thus may be molded in a generally constant width channel and the seal may be formed (via the mold body) to provide different width channels or channel portions within the frame channel, in order to accommodate the fixed window and frame members. The different widths of the channel portions of the seal are provided by the seal configuration, which may be overmolded or disposed in a constant width channel of the frame member. Thus, the overmolded seal can be molded to provide the desired dimensions to receive the side perimeter region of the fixed window panel (including the ends of the upper and lower frame elements) in the seal, with the seal being resilient so as to conform to and seal against the inner and outer surfaces of the window panel and upper and lower frame elements so as to provide a substantially water-tight seal along the perimeter of the fixed window. Optionally, the lower perimeter frame portion may have a seal disposed therein or overmolded thereon in a similar manner so as to receive and seal against the lower perimeter edge region of the fixed window panel.

Optionally, the upper frame element 34 may be bonded to the upper perimeter edge region of fixed window panel 12 or the frame element may comprise an encapsulation or extrusion or wrapping element that encapsulates or overlays or wraps around and along the upper perimeter edge of the fixed window panel. Such an encapsulation or extrusion (which may comprise a metallic material, such as aluminum or the like, or a plastic or polymeric material) may be provided to meet safety regulations for glass windows in transit vehicles and the like.

The movable window or window assembly or unit 14 may comprise a glass or plastic window panel that is surrounded by a movable plastic or polymeric or metallic frame that includes a pair of generally vertical side slide rails or frame members 38 and the generally horizontal upper channel or frame member 30 and a generally horizontal lower channel or frame member 40. The movable frame may be bonded to an inner surface of the movable window panel about the periphery of the movable window panel. The side rails 38 are configured to be received in the respective outer sliding channels 24 established along the side fixed frame members 18 to guide the movable window unit 14 as it is moved between its opened and closed positions.

Optionally, and desirably, the movable window unit 14 may be selectively opened to and retained at multiple positions along the side frame members 18 and may be selectively retained at a selected or appropriate location or degree of opening. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper frame member 30 of the movable frame includes a pair of adjustable pins that are biased outwardly from the movable window frame and towards and into the respective channels 28 and move along the channels 28 as the movable window panel is moved between its opened and closed positions. The upper channels 28 of the side frame members 18 include stops or recesses or indentations 28 a established and spaced apart along the channels. The pins are biased towards and received in the stops 28 a to retain the movable window unit 14 in a desired or selected position.

The pins are manually retracted via adjustment mechanisms or slide elements or latching mechanism 42 at the upper rail or frame member 30. Thus, a user may readily retract or disengage the pin from a stop 28 a to allow for movement of the movable window unit along the side frames 18 between its opened and closed positions. When the user releases the latching mechanism, the biasing element urges the pin towards the channel and into the stop or aperture when the pin is generally aligned with the stop. In the illustrated embodiment, the side frames 18 include multiple stops 28 a spaced apart along channel 28 so that the movable window unit 14 may be retained at its fully closed position and at its fully opened position and at multiple locations between its fully closed and opened positions.

Optionally, the window assembly 10 may utilize aspects of the window assemblies described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,881,458; 8,776,435; 8,495,841 and/or 7,427,096, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Although shown and described as having a vertically movable window that is movable relative to a single fixed window panel, it is envisioned that aspects of the present invention may be suitable for use in other types of window assemblies having movable windows, such as horizontally movable windows or other vertically movable windows such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,427,096, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

When installed at the vehicle 11 (such as a school bus or other transit vehicle or the like), the window assembly is received in an opening formed at the vehicle and may be inserted into the opening from inside the vehicle. For example, the window assembly 10 may be inserted into the opening of the vehicle sheet metal until a sealing flange (and/or a bead of sealant, such as a butyl bead or tape or the like) at both of the side frame members 18 engages or seals against a respective flange of the vehicle sheet metal or body or frame of the vehicle 11 (such as an outer flange of a generally U-shaped bow or member of the vehicle frame or body or sheet metal). The flexible window seals and flexible rail seals may comprise any suitable material, such as, for example, a polypropylene material (PPE) or EPDM material, and/or may utilize aspects of the seals and seal materials described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,650, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Thus, the present invention provides a movable window assembly with a movable window that is moved alongside frames or rails between an opened and closed position relative to a fixed window panel and aperture or opening, with the glass window panels bonded or otherwise attached to or received at the respective frames or frame portions (such as by utilizing aspects of the window assemblies described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,881,458; 5,853,895 and/or 5,551,197, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties). The frame members, such as the vertical side frame members, include an elastomeric seal disposed or overmolded in and along the channel that receives the fixed window panel so as to substantially seal the frame relative to the fixed window panel.

The seal is overmolded onto and along the side frame member, such as via a two shot molding process that first molds the side frame member and then molds the elastomeric seal at or over or along the molded side frame member. The overmolded seal thus provides enhanced assembly of the window assembly by avoiding the need for a separate seal to be disposed at or along the fixed window panel. The overmolded seal may also provide enhanced sealing against the different width parts that are received in the seal and channel of the fixed side frame members.

Changes and modifications to the specifically described embodiments may be carried out without departing from the principles of the present invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patent law. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method of manufacturing a window assembly for a vehicle, said method comprising: providing a fixed frame configured to mount to the vehicle, said fixed frame comprising a pair of opposite side frame members, an upper frame member and a lower frame member; overmolding an elastomeric seal along a channel portion of each of said side frame members; providing a fixed window panel; providing a movable window panel movable relative to said fixed window panel and said fixed frame between an opened position and a closed position; receiving a side perimeter edge region of said fixed window panel in said elastomeric seal along said channel portion of a respective one of said side frame members, wherein said elastomeric seal receives and seals against said side perimeter edge region of said fixed window panel; and wherein overmolding said elastomeric seal comprises overmolding said elastomeric seal to form a sealing channel for receiving and sealing against (i) said side perimeter edge region of said fixed window panel and (ii) an end region of said lower frame member.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a fixed frame comprises molding opposite side frame members.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein molding opposite side frame members comprises molding opposite side frame members via an injection molding process.
 4. The method of claim 2, wherein said side frame members and said elastomeric seal are molded via a two shot molding process that molds said side frame members in a first molding process and molds said elastomeric seal at said side frame members in a second molding process.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said sealing channel of said elastomeric seal has a wider dimension at a first portion of said sealing channel for receiving said end region of said lower frame member than the width of a second portion of said sealing channel for receiving said side perimeter edge region of said fixed window panel.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein a center frame member is disposed along an upper edge region of said fixed window panel, and wherein said elastomeric seal is configured to receive and seal against an end region of said center frame member.
 7. The method of claim 5, wherein overmolding said elastomeric seal comprises overmolding said elastomeric seal in said channel portion of each of said side frame members and wherein said channel portion of said side frame members comprises a constant width dimension along its length.
 8. The method of claim 6, wherein said sealing channel has a wider dimension at a third portion of said sealing channel for receiving said end region of said center frame member than the width of said second portion of said sealing channel for receiving said side perimeter edge region of said fixed window panel.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said movable window panel is vertically movable relative to said fixed frame and said fixed window panel when said window assembly is mounted at the vehicle.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein providing said fixed frame comprises providing a plurality of stop elements that function to retain said movable window assembly in a selected one of a plurality of positions between the opened and closed positions.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein said movable window panel is circumscribed by a movable frame having opposite side frame portions and upper and lower generally horizontal frame portions.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein said upper frame portion of said movable frame is movably received in an upper channel of said side frame members of said fixed frame.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein said side frame portions of said movable frame are received in a movable window channel of said side frame members of said fixed frame, and wherein said movable window channel is parallel to said upper channel and said lower channel of said side frame member.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein said window assembly is configured to mount at a side of a bus. 